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Glacial Pace of Change: Web Notifications Coming Soon to Apple Devices?

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Apple’s dragging its feet in response to Anti-Trust Pressure; Bob Lawson, Optimove’s Director of Mobile offering, looks at what that actually means

Operators and mobile app developers love Apple’s App Store. Specifically, those who have a high percentage of their players on iPhones. They love the reach the stores give them to acquire new players.

Operators and mobile app developers dislike Apple’s App Store. They are tired of the hoops they need to jump through to get their app listed. Not to mention Apple’s 13,000-word “guidelines,” which include restrictions for types of apps they will accept, and where, AND the slice that the App Stores take on every dollar spent through the app, kicking a big hole in potential revenue operators can earn from their players.

It’s fair to say operators and mobile app developers alike have a love-hate relationship with the App Stores and Apple in particular.

Recently Apple has come under increasing pressure from Anti-Competition lobbyists to offer other ways for users to utilize their apps on iPhones. But a business with over 745 million software subscribers, grossing over $70bn in direct app revenue a year, isn’t going to give that up easily. Add to this their slowing revenue from hardware sales, and some commentators see Apple increasingly as a software company rather than a vendor of high-end devices. What are we to make of these somewhat conflicting messages? Consider the following:

 

  1. Apple is under pressure from antitrust regulators to show opportunities for companies that don’t, or can’t, have apps in the App Store. The ruling from their very public lawsuit with Epic Games in the US, and the EU ruling in favor of Spotify, also means that Apple needs to show tangible proof that the Apple ecosystem isn’t closed to competition.
  2. Apple is doing everything it can to hold onto its dominant position while appearing to listen to software makers’ concerns. They continue to make only minor tweaks to App Store terms in response to class actions and slowly introduce small, frequent changes. Those Changes make it very difficult for developers to stay on top of what would make Apple block their new app listing.

So how do the recent announcements at the June 22 WWDC event give us a clue to Apple’s response to pressures? First, it continues to show Apple’s strategy for the glacial pace of change.

 

  1. Apple has for years been reluctant, to say the least to allow applications other than approved apps on its store, accessing phone and browser functionality. Push notifications, for example, have been possible on Apple mobile apps since June 17, 2009. Just 11 months after it introduced the App Store in July 2008. They have always seen the Apple Push Notifications service (APNs) as a critical part of the iPhone experience.

And in the meantime, next door, Google has allowed much more extensive options for delivering notifications on Android devices. For example, since 2013, it has been possible to deliver notifications on an Android phone to users who don’t have the mobile app installed but have subscribed for notifications from a mobile responsive website or progressive web app (PWA).

But there’s a big difference here and it is that neither websites nor PWAs are downloaded from the Google Play Store, so they aren’t governed by the submission rules or delivering a revenue cut for the Play Store.

 

  1. Apple’s resistance to following Google’s lead could easily be seen as an attempt to restrict the popularity of Web-Based Applications over mobile apps published through its stores. After all, in the past it did follow Google’s lead when it first introduced notifications to mobile apps published through the Google Play Store.
  2. Apple argues that it’s about maximizing users’ customer experience, but increasingly it has been seen as anti-competitive. It’s strongly suspected that the recent announcement at WWDC 22 to introduce web push notifications to Apple devices is a way to demonstrate that they have no platform bias. They will soon introduce web notifications to browsers running on mobile devices, closing the gap between Mobile Apps and Web Apps.
  3. The technology has been available as a developer test build for months. At their developer conferences, Apple often announces features well into the future to get their community excited about what’s to come. Rarely do they announce something that will be available up to a year later. So why announce now, and why so far in advance?
  4. Antitrust pressure may have led to the announcement this year. And maybe, just maybe, by kicking the can down the road, the heat will come off. They have built it, but will they come? Only time will tell.

 

What does this mean for the industry?

Marketing automation tolls will relish the prospect of allowing more freedom around mobile devices. CRM Marketing Platforms have many customers who don’t, and won’t, have apps in the store for one reason or another. So being able to offer an experience that is on a par with that of a Native Mobile app is a compelling idea. The power of push notifications to re-engage with lapsed players and send reminders to Apple users, as has been possible with Android, is undoubtedly a good thing.

Is Apple ready to truly embrace customer experience across mobile and web applications? It’s anyone’s guess, well anyone not named Tim Cook, anyway. We’ll be watching this space closely over the coming months.

 

Bob Lawson is Director of Mobile Offerings at Optimove. He joined Optimove early in 2022, when it acquired Kumulos, the company he co-founded. Kumulos was a market-leading Mobile and Web Messaging Platform serving a broad range of industries. Bob has spent more than 18 years in technology, particularly Mobile MarTech. He has held commercially facing roles in start-ups, scale-ups, and large enterprise businesses, particularly in Mobile Technology. Before working in the Tech space, he spent 15 years in Financial Services, most recently as Marketing Director of one of Europe’s largest Fund Management Companies.

 

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Bulletin from Kambi Group plc’s Annual General Meeting 2024

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Kambi Group plc (Company Registration Number C49768) having its registered address situated at Avenue 77 Complex, A4, Triq in-Negozju, Zone 3, Central Business District, Birkirkara, CBD3010, Malta (the “Company”) held its Annual General Meeting on 21 May 2024 at its registered office (the “Meeting”).

Fourteen resolutions were presented to the Meeting. Twelve ordinary resolutions (resolutions a – l) were approved:

  • Annual Report and the Financial Statements of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2023 were approved
  • Remuneration report for the year ended 31 December 2023 was approved
  • Number of Board Members 2024 was approved
  • Board Members’ fees 2024 were approved
  • Anders Ström, Patrick Clase and Marlene Forsell were re-elected as Directors
  • Kristian Nylén and Benjie Cherniak were appointed as additional new Directors
  • Anders Ström was appointed Chairman
  • Guidelines on the appointment and composition of the Nomination Committee were approved
  • Mazars Malta were re-appointed as external auditors

All two extraordinary resolutions, resolutions m and n, obtained one majority of two required in terms of Clause 135 of the Companies Act (Chapter 386 of the Laws of Malta), and in terms of Articles 48B.2(b) of the Articles of Association of the Company. To this end, an Extraordinary General Meeting is being convened within 30 days of today’s Annual General Meeting, as per proviso in same Clause and Articles, to take a fresh vote on the proposed resolutions.

The Board extends its gratitude to Lars Stugemo and Cecilia de Leeuw for their dedicated service and contributions.

By order of the Board

Sarah Fenech
Company Secretary

 

The post Bulletin from Kambi Group plc’s Annual General Meeting 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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UK fans able to bet on OKTAGON MMA with SkyBet after betting market debut on William Hill

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UK fans are now able to get even more involved with OKTAGON MMA, after news broke that fans can bet on Europe’s leading MMA promotion with SkyBet.

Although fans can already bet in the UK via William Hill, the move to SkyBet opens up the market even further for fans wishing to get involved with the action.

OKTAGON has made significant strides to get more involved with its ever-growing UK fanbase, with the first ever show on these shores in November 2023 at the AO Arena in Manchester.

On the back of that success, OKTAGON returned twice in 2024; the first coming at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle in January, before an enthralling night at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham in April.

OKTAGON MMA co-owner Pavol Neruda commented: “We are really pleased that our fanbase in the UK and Ireland can now engage even further with OKTAGON MMA.

“SkyBet is an extremely well-respected platform, and this exemplifies the growth of OKTAGON MMA in the UK and Ireland, a market where we have dedicated significant effort to expand, and shine a light on up-and-coming MMA talent.”

UK fans can place their first bet via SkyBet for the next OKTAGON tournament, when the organisation lands in Prague at the spectacular Fortuna Arena for OKTAGON 58 for the blockbuster rematch between Karlos Vemola and Attila Vegh in front of 27,000 fans.

 

The post UK fans able to bet on OKTAGON MMA with SkyBet after betting market debut on William Hill appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BF Group Launches Enhanced Platform for Sports Betting and Casino Operators

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BF Group, a leading innovator in the gaming and betting industry, proudly announces the launch of the latest version of their comprehensive platform designed for sports betting and casino operators. This new iteration stands out with its cutting-edge design solutions, leveraging a headless approach to ensure seamless and modern operations.

The platform is already live with BF Group’s clients, including the leading Polish sportsbook operator, LV BET.

Marcin Doszczecko, CEO of LV BET Poland and Latvia, shared his enthusiasm: “After the initial tests, we are thrilled to be part of the pilot phase of BF Group’s new platform. We’ve observed significant improvements in operational flow and profitability. The feedback from our VIP players has been overwhelmingly positive, underscoring the platform’s quality and effectiveness.”

Wiktor Grabarczyk, CEO of BF Group, commented: “We continually develop our platforms and other products, but the improvements in this iteration are so significant that we present it as a new stage in our product evolution. We are pleased to provide our partners with an even better tool, ensuring operators and their players have a comfortable and enhanced experience with our sports betting products.”

The post BF Group Launches Enhanced Platform for Sports Betting and Casino Operators appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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